Alex Salmond thinks full Scottish independence should be put on the back
burner and more financial powers for Holyrood made the top priority,
according to one of the First Minister’s confidantes.

In remarks likely to dismay SNP members, Ben Thomson said Mr Salmond had told him the focus should be on making the Scottish Parliament “fiscally responsible”.

Despite the SNP’s long-awaited Referendum Bill being unveiled shortly, Mr Thomson said the First Minister was “dropping the ideas of independence for a time”.

Mr Thomson, chairman of investment bank Noble Group and head of think tank Reform Scotland, said the comments were made in a meeting with Mr Salmond last week.

The First Minister refused to contradict Mr Thomson, instead confirming winning more financial powers is a priority.

Earlier this week he said he intends to enter lengthy negotiations with the new Government over what tax-raising powers should be transferred to Scotland, with legislation being published in the autumn.

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Mr Thomson holds regular discussions with Mr Salmond and has repeatedly supported Scotland being handed full tax-raising powers or independence.

However, he argued the scale of the spending cuts required means handing Holyrood financial powers is now more important than separation.

Without this occurring, Mr Thomson argued than MSPs and Scottish ministers have no incentive to make the fundamental changes required to pull Scotland out of the red.

Asked by the Daily Telegraph about the First Minister’s views, Mr Thomson said: “He agrees. He cannot say (publicly) he is going to leave independence.

“But he agrees the focus should be on fiscal responsibility. Let’s focus on what’s deliverable and what you can do for economics.”

He has earlier confirmed to the BBC that he met Mr Salmond last week, adding the First Minister “is very much for fiscal responsibility and dropping the ideas of independence for a time and focusing on how we make the economy more effective.”

David McLetchie, Scottish Tory Chief Whip, said the First Minister was putting the SNP’s flagship policy on the back burner, and this was indicative of his administration “running out of steam”.

“This is a welcome recognition at long last by Alex Salmond that the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland reject independence,” he said.

“They want a government to tackle the recession and the public finances without pursuing this nationalist obsession.”

Mr Salmond’s dreams of independence have floundered, with opinion polls showing less than a third of Scots want to break up Britain.

The Nationalists endured a shambolic election campaign and won only six seats, one fewer than they had before polling day and 14 fewer than Mr Salmond’s target.

He is planning to finally table his Referendum Bill, probably next month, but knows Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories have vowed to throw it out at the first opportunity.

In contrast, the new Lib Dem/Conservative coalition Government has promised to “engage” with Mr Salmond on what tax-raising powers should be included in the proposed Scotland Bill.

The Queen’s Speech included a promise to implement the Calman Commission’s recommendations, which would see Scottish ministers handed the power to collect and raise their own income tax.

But Mr Salmond has argued that other Government plans to increase to £10,000 personal allowances for income tax has created a financial black hole in the Calman plans.

Asked about Mr Thomson’s comments, Mr Salmond’s special adviser said the First Minister had campaigned throughout his political life for independence.

But he added: “Having fiscal responsibility now would enable the (Scottish) government to pursue policies to ensure the recovery of Scotland’s economy and sustainable growth. This is a priority of this administration.”